A30248:476
The true doctrine of justification asserted and vindicated, from the errors of Papists, Arminians,…The true doctrine of justification asserted and vindicated, from the errours of Papists, Arminians,…
The true doctrine of justification asserted and vindicated, from the errors of Papists, Arminians, Socinians, and more especially Antinomians in XXX lectures preached at Lawrence-Jury, London / by Anthony Burgess ...The true doctrine of justification asserted and vindicated, from the errours of Papists, Arminians, Socinians, and more especially Antinomians in XXX lectures preached at Lawrence-Iury, London / by Anthony Burgess ...
London: printed by A. Miller for Tho. Underhill, 1651
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Thirdly, That which the most solid Divines pitch upon, is, That Infants have, (I speak not generally, but indefinitely) a seed of faith, because they have the Spirit of God and regeneration, otherwaies they could not be saved; and by this seed of faith, they become members of Christ, and that relation which is in their faith to Christs merits, is the instrument by which they obtain remission of sin. As for that place, Faith cometh by hearing, it is to be applied to the ordinary means of faith, and that in persons grown up. Neither can I say, that an Infant is bound to have actual faith; for happily in the state of integrity, Infants then, though they had the image of God, yet could not have put forth the actual exercise of graces, and if they could not do it in that state, it is not to be expected they do so now.
Thirdly, That which the most solid Divines pitch upon, is, That Infants have, (I speak not generally, but indefinitely) a seed of faith, because they have the Spirit of God and regeneration, otherwaies they could not be saved; and by this seed of faith, they become members of Christ, and that relation which is in their faith to Christs merits, is the instrument by which they obtain remission of sin. As for that place, Faith cometh by hearing, it is to be applyed to the ordinary means of faith, and that in persons grown up. Neither can I say, that an Infant is bound to have actuall faith; for happily in the state of integrity, Infants then, though they had the image of God, yet could not have put forth the actuall exercise of graces, and if they could not do it in that state, it is not to be expected they do so now.
Fourthly, It is not enough for him to prove they are justified before they believe, but also before they be any way united to Christ, Let that union be conceived how it can by us. For if a man be justified, because he is elected, as his third Argument would prove; then he is to show, that Infants not only before they believe, but before they have any union with Christ are justified, for the election of Infants must needs go before their union with Christ. And howsoever the opponent quoteth Austin saying, That which was wrought in John Baptist, to be a singular miracle, yet Serm. 14. d• Verbis Apostoli, on those words, He that believeth not shall be damned, makes this question,